Do You Love Me More?

Do You Love Me More? Summary and Goal 1 John 4:8 teaches that whoever does not love does not know God because God is love. Jesus, God incarnate, had just demonstrated the extent of that love. He now asks, Do you love Me? Main Passages John 21:15-17 Session Outline 1. Addressing Peter Specifically (John 21:15a, 16a, 17a) 2. Peter s Painful Question (John 21:15b, 16b, 17b) 3. Peter Recommissioned (John 21:15c, 16c, 17c) Theological Theme Even in the face of our greatest failure, Jesus gently restores us and recommissions us for the work of the gospel. Christ Connection Just as Christ recommissioned Peter after his denial of Jesus, He restores believers with repentant hearts today from lives of sinfulness to lives of gospel effectiveness. Missional Application Jesus is faithful to forgive us when we fall short in our faith if we are contrite and humble. Jesus forgiveness can restore us to gospel effectiveness as we witness His grace in our own lives. 1 Leader Guide

Historical Context of John Purpose John wrote his Gospel to inspire faith. John knew Jesus intimately, and John s Gospel provides an intimate portrait of the Lord. John recorded for us Jesus most memorable sayings, His longest sermons, and His most profound miracles. As a valued eyewitness to Jesus life (19:35), John was the source of many stories from faraway Galilee and Judea. John had heard, seen, and touched the Word of life (see 1 Jn 1:1-4). Author Despite doubts from various quarters, a good case can be made that the fourth Gospel was written by John, the one Jesus loved (as he referred to himself throughout his book), brother of James and son of Zebedee, just as early church tradition suggests. That same tradition places John in and around Ephesus, ministering to the churches of Asia Minor, until his death as an elderly man at roughly the end of the first century. The author would thus have been an eyewitness of much of the material he recounted and in a position to provide accurate information. Date Written Most scholars believe that John completed writing his Gospel around A.D. 90. To Whom Written John most likely wrote his Gospel for Jewish Christians living abroad in the Mediterranean world. Setting A small community of Christians lived in ancient Ephesus during the late first century A.D. They had learned the remarkable story of Jesus from the apostles Paul and John. This early church became strong in faith under the leadership of these men. While many stories circulated about Jesus, the apostle John had his own recollections and insights. In the later years of his life, John wrote these stories down, providing his followers and us with the fourth Gospel. Key Verses John 3:16; John 20:31 Key People John, Jesus, John the Baptist, Jesus disciples Key Places The Temple Special Features John s Gospel provides an intimate portrait of the Lord. John recorded for us Jesus most memorable sayings, His longest sermons, and His most profound miracles. Excerpted and paraphrased from the Life Application Study Bible (NIV). Tyndale House Publishes, 2003. Date of My Bible Study: 2

2 Session Plan Do You Love Me More? For Further Discussion Describe how you came to know Christ. How did coming to grips with your sinfulness in light of Christ s forgiveness make you feel? Introduction How would you describe the difference between forgiving someone and pretending a wrong deed was never done? Which one would you say Christianity is based on? Why? In this week s session, Jesus and the disciples that were present at His third appearance had finished breakfast. What ensued was an intimate conversation between Jesus and Peter. Peter had denied Christ three times during His trials as Peter stood outside in the courtyard. In the midst of the guilt from his denial and the uncertainty that plagued the disciples the days following Jesus crucifixion, Peter was gently restored and recommissioned by Jesus. The process was not painless for Peter, however. The questions of the risen Christ were intentionally repetitive and probing. 1. Addressing Peter Specifically (John 21:15a, 16a, 17a) Jesus greeted Peter with an extended and formal salutation. John reflected the same mood when he introduced the conversation with Peter, using Peter s full name. The formality indicated both a certain distance, as well as a degree of seriousness that exceeded the previous interchange among the group. Jesus did not refer to him by the name that He had given him, Peter, but chose the name by which he was called when Jesus commanded him to follow Him. The address had the elemental feel of a reset. This had to be both alarming and painful for Peter, as there can be no doubt that the manner of his denial was ever-present in his mind, especially while with Jesus. Describe a time when you had to either initiate or participate in a difficult conversation in which confrontation took place. How did you and the others involved in the conversation address one another? How did the mood of that conversation differ from the typical conversations that had previously defined your relationship? 3 Leader Guide When there is conflict with you and another person, do you tend to wait for the situation to fade or do you seek resolution immediately? How does that tendency change when you know you re the one in the wrong?

2. Peter s Painful Question (John 21:15b, 16b, 17b) According to the context of the passage, the best way to understand the question is that Jesus was asking Peter if he loved Jesus more than the others. That is a claim that Peter had made blatantly and also by inference throughout the three years they were with Jesus. Peter was the most outspoken and did not hesitate to make grand claims about his devotion to Christ. Further, it was Peter s failure to follow through on these claims by way of outright denial that was the background for the repeated question from Jesus. Three times Peter denied Jesus with increasing vehemence. Three times he reasserted his love for Jesus in this shoreline conversation. How do you respond when someone asks you the same question multiple times? How does your response change if the nature of the question is introspective and inquisitive? How would you respond if your spouse, child, or another loved one questioned your love for them repeatedly? What would you assume about their repeated questions? 3. Peter Recommissioned (John 21:15c, 16c, 17c) The clear intimation in the repeated exchange between Peter and Jesus is that, if Peter loved Jesus, he would be about the same work with which Jesus was concerned. While there were small variants in the way Jesus directed Peter s future ministry, the variants still underscored the same focus for Peter s recommissioning: do the work of the shepherd for those who follow Christ. The number of times in which Peter was directed to shepherd Jesus sheep obviously mirrored the number of times that Peter denied Christ the night He was arrested. This was intentional for the purpose of reinstating Peter. Why was it necessary for Peter to reaffirm his love for Jesus as a part of his recommissioning? What about his public profession of loyalty to Jesus refuted his earlier failure? For Further Discussion Think of a time when you felt like you blew it in regard to following Jesus. How does this interaction with Peter help you process your own sense of failure? How does it strengthen you for the next time you fail? Conclusion How does our modern understanding of forgiveness measure up to what Peter experienced? How have you modeled this in your own life? What are the most common influences that force you to answer the, Do you love Me more? question with the greatest frequency? Who in your life helps you answer that question? How do you currently use your gifts to express your love for Jesus through service to His flock? What new things might the Holy Spirit be nudging you toward trying as it pertains to service? Session 2 4

Expanded Session Content 2 Do You Love Me More? Introduction In his 2009 book Wild Goose Chase, pastor Mark Batterson spent some time talking about the Johari window, a personality matrix that is based on four quadrants. The first quadrant is the arena quadrant, which contains the things a person knows about himself and others know about him as well. The second quadrant is the blind spot quadrant, which includes things others know about a person, but that the person is unaware of. The third quadrant is the unknown quadrant, which contains those things about the person that are neither known by him or others. The fourth quadrant is the facade quadrant, which details those things a person knows about himself, but others are unaware of. Discussing the facade quadrant, Batterson remarked, I m concerned that many Christians get stuck in the facade quadrant. Let s be honest, the church can be the most pretentious place on earth. We re afraid of revealing our imperfections and dysfunctions. We re afraid of revealing our painful scars and sinful secrets. And that is why so many people are so lonely. Batterson goes on to say those hidden scars and points of guilt form a cage in which we force ourselves to live because we cut ourselves off from restoration, forgiveness, and healing. 1 In our passage for this week, Peter s façade was stripped away. In a direct and likely uncomfortable way, Jesus confronted Peter s guilt and shame. On the other side of the process, though, Peter found restoration and recommission in following Christ. Respond to Batterson s assessment of the church above. Do you feel like you need to utilize a facade and hide your struggles and guilt? Describe how you came to know Christ. How did coming to grips with your sinfulness in light of Christ s forgiveness make you feel? 5 Leader Guide

How would you describe the difference between forgiving someone and pretending a wrong deed was never done? Which one would you say Christianity is based on? Why? Session Summary In this week s session, Jesus and the disciples that were present at His third appearance had finished breakfast. What ensued was an intimate conversation between Jesus and Peter. Peter had denied Christ three times during His trials as Peter stood outside in the courtyard. In the midst of the guilt from his denial and the uncertainty that plagued the disciples the days following Jesus crucifixion, Peter was gently restored and recommissioned by Jesus. The process was not painless for Peter, however. The questions of the risen Christ were intentionally repetitive and probing. 1. Addressing Peter Specifically (John 21:15a, 16a, 17a) The difficulty for Peter in this exchange began with the address. With the verses in this section of John 21 being largely identical, the manner in which Jesus addressed John became a point of increasing emphasis with each repetitive question. Prior to this one-on-one conversation with Peter, the manner in which Jesus had addressed the seven disciples that were fishing that day was casual and welcoming. He had called them friends, offered them breakfast, and continued to cook and serve as they ate. Now, however, Jesus addressed Peter specifically. In doing so, He greeted Peter with an extended and formal salutation. John reflected the same mood when he introduced the conversation with Peter, using Peter s full name. Scholar Leon Morris notes, There is an air of solemnity about John s use of the full name and his reporting that Jesus used the expanded form, Simon son of John (Leon Morris, The Gospel According to John, Copyright 1995. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co). The formality indicated both a certain distance, as well as a degree of seriousness that exceeded the previous interchange among the group. Jesus did not refer to him by the name that He had given him, Peter, but chose the name by which he was called when Jesus commanded him to follow Him. The address had the elemental feel of a reset. This had to be both alarming and painful for Peter, as there can be no doubt that the manner of his denial was ever-present in his mind, especially while with Jesus. Describe a time when you had to either initiate or participate in a difficult conversation in which confrontation took place. How did you and the others involved in the conversation address one another? How did the mood of that conversation differ from the typical conversations that had previously defined your relationship? Session 2 6

When there is conflict with you and another person, do you tend to wait for the situation to fade or do you seek resolution immediately? How does that tendency change when you know you re the one in the wrong? In considering this passage in Wild Goose Chase, Mark Batterson wonders, If post-denial Peter thought his career as a disciple was over. Wouldn t you? Peter had failed one too many times. Maybe Peter was thinking about going back to fishing for a living.and Satan would have loved nothing more than for Peter to have spent the rest of his life in a fishing boat on the Sea of Galilee. But Peter was commissioned by Christ to go to the ends of the earth proclaiming the good news. But what Jesus had in mind was far different than the jettisoning of Peter s ministry going forward. Love Scholars conflict widely over the significance of the different words used for love in Jesus questions and Peter s corresponding responses in this section. Many speculate that Jesus use of agapao for love in His first two questions indicate that He was referring to the most noble and committed sort of love. Still others emphasize Peter s difference in response, using phileo (which generally means brotherly affection ) in each of his answers. The tendency of Greek usage at this point in history, though, had made the two words virtually synonymous, meaning that efforts to draw significant theological meaning from their differences is overstated. In the conversation, Peter and Jesus used synonymous word pairs in three other instances to underscore the fact that, in each instance, the same meaning was intended. 2. Peter s Painful Question (John 21:15b, 16b, 17b) The first time Jesus asked Peter, Do you love Me? was different than the subsequent two times that He asked. The first time, Jesus added, more than these. There are actually three different ways to understand the question when first asked. The these could have referred to the other disciples in a comparative way ( Do you love Me more than they do?). It could have referred to the disciples as others that were recipients of Peter s love ( Do you love Me more than you love them? ). These could also have referred to the fishing equipment scattered around on the shore after their long night of fishing ( Do you love Me more than you love fishing/ the things of your life before Me? ). According to the context of the passage, the best way to understand the question is that Jesus was asking Peter if he loved Jesus more than the others. That is a claim that Peter had made blatantly and also by inference throughout the three years they were with Jesus. Peter was the most outspoken and did not hesitate to make grand claims about his devotion to Christ. Further, it was Peter s failure to follow through on these claims by way of outright denial that was the background for the repeated question from Jesus. Three times Peter denied Jesus with increasing vehemence. Three times he reasserted his love for Jesus in this shoreline conversation. How do you respond when someone asks you the same question multiple times? How does your response change if the nature of the question is introspective and inquisitive? How would you respond if your spouse, child, or another loved one questioned your love for them repeatedly? What would you assume about their repeated questions? 7 Leader Guide

Interestingly, in drawing out Peter s guilt over denying Him, Jesus never specifically asked about the actual denial. He repeatedly asked if Peter loved Him. Jesus did not focus on the failure, but on the restoration from the failure. Bear in mind, Jesus was completely aware that the denial would happen; He predicted it. Jesus knew of Peter s contrition and brokenness over his denial and, consequently, moved to restoration. Even the restoration process was not painless, however. With each subsequent examination of Peter s genuine love for Him, Jesus recommissioned Peter. 3. Peter Recommissioned (John 21:15c, 16c, 17c) The clear intimation in the repeated exchange between Peter and Jesus is that, if Peter loved Jesus, he would be about the same work with which Jesus was concerned. While there were small variants in the way Jesus directed Peter s future ministry, the variants still underscored the same focus for Peter s recommissioning: do the work of the shepherd for those who follow Christ. The number of times in which Peter was directed to shepherd Jesus sheep obviously mirrored the number of times that Peter denied Christ the night He was arrested. This was intentional for the purpose of reinstating Peter. It bears asking the question whom the recommissioning of Peter was ultimately for. Since Jesus knew that the denial would occur even telling Peter plainly that it would the recommissioning should not be understood as Jesus changing His mind on Peter s purpose after His resurrection. The recommissioning was for Peter so that he understood that the grace of Jesus exceeded his own failure. Peter s role in the building of the church had not changed since the moment Christ called him. The only thing that had changed was Peter s own understanding of his usefulness due to his denial of Christ. As Jesus methodically worked through Peter s guilt and shame toward restoration, Peter heard from the mouth of Jesus Himself that Jesus still had work for him to do. Pontiff Primacy? D.A. Carson notes that this passage has been used by some Roman Catholic scholars to support the primacy of Peter as the first pontiff, with authority and governing rights. Carson corrects that, this passage does not establish that Peter has relatively more authority than other shepherds of the flock of God. When close comparisons are made with Acts 20:28 and 1 Peter 4:1-4, it becomes clear that each shepherd of the flock of God is to mirror both authority and a certain brokenness that is utterly exemplary (D. A. Carson, The Pillar New Testament Commentary, the Gospel of John; Copyright 1991. Used by permission of Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.). Why was it necessary for Peter to reaffirm his love for Jesus as a part of his recommissioning? What about his public profession of loyalty to Jesus refuted his earlier failure? Think of a time when you felt like you blew it in regard to following Jesus. How does this interaction with Peter help you process your own sense of failure? How does it strengthen you for the next time you fail? Why is it important for us to realize and feel the gravity of Peter s remorse and brokenness over his past denial of Jesus? Session 2 8

Reading through Acts, it is clear that this would not be the last time that Peter demonstrated a lack of wisdom in the cause of following Christ. Still, it is critically important to read through these verses slowly to wrestle with the weight of Peter s guilt. It would be impossible to imagine how it felt for Peter to be in the presence of the resurrected Jesus. On the one hand, there must have been unspeakable joy in realizing that all of the incredible things Jesus had told the disciples about His death and resurrection, which once seemed impossible, were true and verifiable. On the other hand, the image of the Lord turning to look at him after his final denial (Luke 22:61-62) must have brought fresh waves of guilt on Peter with every glance from the resurrected Christ. For him to be systematically restored, as if addressing each denial individually, brought Peter gradually to a new understanding of Jesus plan to use him in the immediate days to come. Conclusion In these three verses, the reader witnesses Jesus reinstate Peter at his lowest point. Convicted, broken, and wondering what could possibly lie ahead for him, Peter fervently reaffirmed his love for Jesus when asked. The almost identical exchanges offer several important things for Christ followers today. First, when we fail in our following of Jesus, there is restoration after repentance. Notice that there is a when not an if in that sentence. No one on this side of eternity will follow Christ perfectly. Everyone will have moments in which we deny Christ through our conduct, our weakness, the inability to control our thought life, or a host of other avenues through which we choose fleshly comfort. Just as Jesus carefully restored Peter, He will carefully restore us when we are broken over our sin and come to Him in repentance. Our restoration may not be as immediate as three questions on the beach, but there is forgiveness for the contrite in Christ. Second, restoration and recommission do not come easily. While great care must be taken to prevent the idea that forgiveness is earned, it is important to acknowledge that restoration is not simply pretending that nothing ever happened. The questions that Jesus posed to Peter probed to the core of his soul. It was uncomfortable, heartbreaking, as well as healing. It was not a conversation that Peter would have chosen to have. It brought Peter face-to-face with his failure and made him confront it. Restoration and recommission came freely from Jesus, but it did not come easily. Likewise, when we fail, part of repentance is being willing to confront the sin and those sinned against in order for healing to take place. Third, fellowship with Jesus means ministry to His flock. The restoration of Peter also came with a directive to shepherd Jesus people. Jesus does 9 Leader Guide

not forgive our failure so that we can go back to being what we were. Rather, Jesus restores us to fellowship with Him to join Him in His work in the world. The question remains, then, how are we opening ourselves to God for Him to use us to make Him known in the world? Are we being conformed to His image in the way we serve those around us? Fourth, every day believers must answer the question, Do you love Me more? Like Peter s choosing self-preservation over identification with Jesus during His trial, there are things that compete for our allegiance to and identification with Jesus every day. Whether it is social acceptance, workplace advance, threat of ostracism, or fleshly satisfaction and pleasure, deciding to love Jesus more than anything else will always come at a price. How does our modern understanding of forgiveness measure up to what Peter experienced? How have you modeled this in your own life? What are the most common influences that force you to answer the, Do you love Me more? question with the greatest frequency? Who in your life helps you answer that question? How do you currently use your gifts to express your love for Jesus through service to His flock? What new things might the Holy Spirit be nudging you toward trying as it pertains to service? Prayer of Response Give thanks that in Christ there is restoration after repentance... that Christ forgives and restores us to Himself. Additional Resources What s so Amazing about Grace? by Philip Yancey The Peacemaker by Ken Sande Helping People Forgive by David Augsburger Session 2 10

For Next Week Session Title --By what Death will you Glorify God? Main Passages --John 21:18-19; 1 Peter 4:13-19 Session Outline 1. Peter s Death Foretold (John 21:18-19a) 2. Whole Life Discipleship (John 21:19b) 3. Peter s Perspective on Death and Discipleship (1 Peter 4:13-19) Memorize 15 When they had eaten breakfast, Jesus asked Simon Peter, Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these? Yes, Lord, he said to him, you know that I love you. Feed my lambs, he told him. - John 21:15, CSB 11 Leader Guide

John Extended 21:15-17 Commentary John 21:15-17 21:15 17 With these next three verses the focus of the text turns from Jesus and the seven to concentrate particularly on Peter. He had been extremely sure of himself that he and his colleagues would not go back on their loyalty to Jesus (cf. 6:66 68) and that he particularly would follow Jesus, even to the point of death (13:37). In a sense one really has to like Peter for his good intentions. Indeed, he, among the disciples, was the one who ventured to defend Jesus with his sword, even though he misunderstood the situation (18:10 11). And he at least made an attempt to follow Jesus after his arrest (18:15). But in this Gospel it is clear that Peter denied Jesus three times and that he is not mentioned at the cross when others were there. It is almost as though he disappeared from sight for a time, only to reappear after the resurrection (20:2). It was to this well-intentioned but frail disciple that Jesus pointedly asked, Do you truly love me more than these? (21:15). The these here must of necessity mean loving Jesus more than the other disciples did rather than focusing on Peter preferring Jesus to other people or to his general love of fishing. Peter obviously had had a high opinion of his loyalty and probably had regarded himself as the model of love and respect for Jesus. But he had hardly lived up to his own view of his loyalty or in comparison to others. So Jesus confronted Peter s own high opinion of himself and in so doing made Peter face his own frailty head-on. The threefold questioning of Peter by Jesus concerning his love brought the disciple from a response of something like of course! concerning the first question, to a sense of grief with the third one. But Jesus would not let him go with offering an easy response. Instead, Jesus probed him until he opened the wounded heart of this would-be follower. Off-the-cuff replies and well-meaning superficial responses to the risen Lord will not work in the call of Jesus to the life of discipleship. Jesus forced Peter to learn the hard lesson of a changed life. Everyone who follows Jesus must learn what real believing and loving Jesus means. To be clear on this perspective about the story is absolutely crucial before turning to specific words and phrases in the verses, which are often poorly interpreted by preachers, priests, and teachers. To whatever denomination one belongs, this encounter of Jesus with Peter can provide a salutary message. To begin with the misunderstanding of many Protestants concerning this text, these verses are not about a change in the use of the Greek verbs for love. The motif study of A. Nygren entitled Agape and Eros has led many to incorrect conclusions about the use of Greek verbs in the Session 2 12

New Testament and particularly in John. For example, it is crucial to understand that eros never appears in the New Testament, but that does not mean inadequate love is not present. Just glance at 12:43, where it is said that the Pharisees loved the praise of men and realize that the verb there is agapan! That verse alone should dispel poor exegetical patterns of interpretation among preachers! But to be more specific with the use of the verbs for love in this passage, Carson is absolutely correct when he says that the two verbs agapan and philein are used interchangeably in this Gospel and that from the fourth century b.c. forward in Greek literature agapan became one of the standard verbs for to love. He then refers to Demas loving this present age (2 Tim 4:10), a reference not in John but the point is the same as in John 12:43 and elsewhere. Why, then, was Peter grieved (elupēthē, the NIV hurt just does not catch the pathos of this statement)? It was hardly because of the change in the Greek verbs. Besides, that argument would hardly be viable if the original conversation would have been in Aramaic. A mere glance at the text tells the reader the reason. Peter experienced a major undoing (cf. Isa 6:5, KJV) of his self-assertiveness because Jesus asked him the third time (21:17) about his love. The third time did it. Imagine again the scene as the evangelist framed it: a charcoal fire and three questions about Peter s relationship to Jesus. It hardly takes a genius to relate this event to that of the denial. Facing up to oneself is a traumatic experience. Did Peter learn from this experience? Well, maybe not immediately, as the following verses seem to indicate. But ultimately? If the first letter of Peter is any indication, there seems to be little doubt that this experience seared itself into the consciousness of this well-meaning disciple because in that letter there is an instructive message for the leaders of his missionary churches. In the three responses of Jesus to Peter s assertions of love Jesus said, Feed [ tend, boske] my sheep [ lambs, arnia] in 21:15; Pasture [ tend, poimaine] my sheep [probata] in 21:16; and feed [ tend, boske] my sheep [probata] again in 21:17. Then in his epistle Peter in turn told the leaders of the churches to pasture [ tend, poimanate] the flock [poimnion] of God appropriately (1 Pet 5:2). Leadership in the Christian church should not be a matter of obligation or oughtness but of a willing desire. It should likewise not be from a goal of achieving personal gain but from a sense of calling to serve others. And it should not be because one wishes to dominate others but because one is willing to model the way of Christ in serving God s flock (cf. 1 Pet 5:3). Seeking power and personal aggrandizement should not be any part of the goals among Jesus disciples. 13 Leader Guide

These texts also should speak to some Roman Catholic concepts of Peter and the role of shepherding. Stählin argues that the three questions reflect a liturgical pattern leading to the establishment of Peter s pastoral ministry, but this notion surely has to be read into the text, as Beasley-Murray has correctly noted. But more to the point is the fact that Vatican I in its concern for the papacy quoted these three verses together with Matt 16:16 19 in making its dogmatic statement that Peter the Apostle was constituted by Christ the Lord as chief of all the apostles and as visible head of the Church on earth. As a result of this statement many other comments have since been made by Roman Catholic scholars. Among them Lapide s declaration is worthy of note. He opines that on his departure into heaven Christ here designates his Vicar upon earth and creates Peter the Supreme Pontiff, in order that one Church may be governed by one Pastor. The concept of the pastor/shepherd in this type of argument is rooted in the idea of the shepherd king like David who was a ruler over Israel (cf. 2 Sam 5:2). The question, of course, that can be raised is whether that is the meaning of the present text. But this commentary is hardly the format to discuss the papacy or whether whatever might be implied concerning Peter applies to those who claim to be his successors. Perhaps it is sufficient to conclude at this point that whatever one has to say here about Peter, it is clear that Jesus had a task for him, but not for the Peter of the pre-resurrection. It was a Peter who needed to be sifted by the penetrating questioning of Jesus in order to do the work of the risen Lord and be reinstated after his devastating fall. God/Jesus does not bless human beings primarily to provide them with status but to carry out the divine purposes in the world. Thus mission is inseparably linked to the calling and blessing of God. This inseparable linkage was evidenced as early as the call of Abraham (Gen 12:2 3) and has been repeated many times in history, including to Peter and to all who are likewise called by God in Christ. 2 References 1 Batterson, Mark. Wild Goose Chase. Colorado Springs, Colorado. Multnomah Books, 2008. 2 Borchert, Gerald L. John 12 21. Vol. 25B. The New American Commentary. Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2002. 14